top

Stress Fractures

Stress fractures are the result of repetitive, cyclic loading of bone, which has overwhelmed the reparative ability of the bone. They occur when there is a failure of the bone to adapt to mechanical loads.

Imaging of stress fractures Plain x-ray: • poor sensitivity and high specificity • seen as new periosteal bone formation; area of sclerosis; callus formation • do not appear unless 2-3 weeks after appearance of symptoms